State worker dies after suspected medical issue causes Augusta crash

AUGUSTA, Maine — A state worker died Tuesday morning when his truck left the road and struck a utility pole. Police believe he had suffered a medical problem.

John Pearl, 64, of Augusta was driving on Hospital Street near the Glenridge Drive intersection when his GMC pickup hit a utility pole, said Augusta Deputy Chief Jared Mills.

The truck didn’t have significant damage and Pearl didn’t suffer any serious injuries as a direct result of the crash, but he was taken to MaineGeneral Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Mills said.

Pearl’s body was taken to the state medical examiner’s office for an autopsy and the results are pending, according to Mills.

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“Based on everything at the scene, his condition when we found him, we’re anticipating it’s a medical issue,” Mills said.